Fidler in the Hood: Home Thoughts From Abroad
To celebrate his birthday, your scribe spent a delightful couple of weeks in a really true paradise named Buzios, Brazil.
Greetings, one and all. It’s getting to be a lot like Christmas, so the saying goes. There were few signs of the Christmas spirit at OR Tambo Airport on a cold, wet, miserable Sunday morning.
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There’s nothing like a confrontation with a mean-looking SAPS cop after a long flight to make one feel you have arrived back in South Africa. But, home is where the heart is and there’s no place like home – being Uvongo, of course.
Thanks Sally
Whilst in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, your scribe received a message from André Jonker of Manaba asking to mention an act of kindness by local lass Sally Ramsdon.
Sally donated an assortment of lovely household goods to André’s daughter, Candice, who is going through a ‘bad patch’ at the moment. A grateful André described Sally as an absolute ‘Angel of Mercy’ and drove to Knysna to deliver the goods to Candice.
The spirit of Christmas lives on down here – many thanks, Sally, from André, Pixie and Wendy.
Talk to the trees
Whilst in Brazil, the CO messaged to say that gale force winds had felled a huge tree outside our home in Uvongo, causing an obstruction to traffic. She dutifully contacted the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality’s offices to report the hazard. Someone at the offices advised it would be reported, but the shattered tree is still there two weeks later.
However, we received a lovely reference number and wait with bated breath for the tree removal or for some vehicle to have a bash at it. Never mind that we still have three or four references from RNM from two or three years ago for things that needed doing in Dee Road. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Different worlds
To celebrate his birthday, your scribe spent a delightful couple of weeks in a really true paradise named Buzios, Brazil. So what? Well, Buzios, is a beautiful town, where tourism is paramount. It’s population of about 30 000 rockets up to 200 000 in season.
Streets are swept every morning, refuse is collected every day and service with a smile is standard. Restaurants are full and so are the beaches. It is safe, and what a delight to see young and old being able to stroll in streets at any time of day or night.
Of course it’s two different worlds, but one can’t avoid making comparisons. We could do so much better as a holiday destination if local government made serious efforts to improve facilities along the Hibiscus Coast.
We live in a lovely part of South Africa and we all want our little towns to be places where visitors want to return. Apparently the main road at Manaba and the filter road into Margate are being repaired – after nine months! The mind boggles. Here endeth the lesson.
RIP Val
On a personal note, sad news is the death of colleague and friend Val Korb. Val was a real true South African, born in Johannesburg, in an era long-gone – a time when family values were paramount.
It is a story of legend that Val was the object of affection by famed Wolverhampton Wanderers and England captain Billy Wright, who toured South Africa in 1951.
No hanky-panky, just the innocence of sweet youth. Val eventually married her beloved Gordon, whilst true gentleman Billy Wright married Joy, one of the famous Beverley Sisters. Many thanks, Val, for your friendship and kindness. RIP.
Back to reality
Well, back home once more. Time for David Rush and Wally Williams to rub it in that not-so-beloved Manchester City broke your scribe’s heart. We will be the ‘also rans’ when it comes to honours this season.
Arch enemy Manchester United defeated City in the local derby match; Liverpool will win the Premiership, leaving Manchester City out of sight.
Your scribe saw the last few minutes of City’s game against bitterest rivals on television in Sao Paulo international airport en route back to SA.
His first reaction was ‘Why go back? There’s nothing to live for; stay here in Brazil.’ But thoughts of the CO and all the home comforts clinched the deal – there’s no place like home, power outages notwithstanding. See you, Rob.
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